Chinese overtake Welsh in pursuit of degree course

WELSH students seeking a place at British universities were outnumbered by Chinese applicants for the first time last month, Ucas figures have shown.

Undergraduate applications from China to UK institutions rose by a third this year to reach a record high of 21,250 at the Jan 15 deadline.

The number was significantly higher than the 18,430 total from Wales and the 17,400 applicants from Northern Ireland.

Ucas believes it is possible the number of students accepted from China could outstrip those from Northern Ireland, but is less likely to exceed those from Wales as a greater proportion of Chinese students will ultimately choose not to study in the UK.

The number of applicants from outside the EU hit an all-time high this year, at 73,080 students – up 14.7 per cent compared to last year.

Clare Marchant, the chief executive of Ucas, said the record application numbers from countries outside of the EU showed the “global appeal” of UK higher education.

EU applicants, meanwhile, dropped by 2 per cent to 43,030 – but Ucas said that application numbers have varied since the UK voted to leave the bloc in 2016.

The Government has guaranteed that EU students beginning their studies in September will have access to the same tuition fee loans and financial support as UK students.

Ms Marchant said: “Students are making the most of this year’s unprecedented opportunity to apply to university, as more applicants are expected to receive offers, the equality gap continues to narrow, and the UK’S 18-year-old population is expected to grow again in 2021.”

She added: “The global appeal of studying at our world-class universities and colleges is once again proved by record application numbers from international students.”

21,250

The record number of Chinese nationals wanting to start an undergraduate course in Britain this year, an increase of a third